MTSU honors Luke Laird with L.A. reception

MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment honored alumnus and 2016 Grammy nominee Luke Laird at a special pre-Grammy event Sunday at The Standard in downtown Los Angeles. From left: Ken Paulson, dean of the College of Media and Entertainment; Beverly Keel, chairwoman of the Recording Industry department; Laird; alumnus Pete Fisher, general manager of the Grand Ole Opry; MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee; and Erika Wollam Nichols, general manager of The Bluebird Café in Nashville.(Photo: Andrew Oppmann)

LOS ANGELES — Hit country songwriter and producer Luke Laird is nominated for two Grammy Awards at Monday night’s ceremony, but on Sunday the Pennsylvania native was honored by his alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University, with a reception at The Standard.

Laird graduated from the Murfreesboro school in 2001 and has since written 20 No. 1 country hits.

“I had different people tell me, ‘You don’t have to go to college to be a songwriter,’ ” Laird said. “That’s technically true. But literally to this day, the songs I write I draw from my college experiences. And MTSU, outside all of the fun stuff I did, encouraged me … to go for my dreams. I really appreciate that.”

Laird’s fellow Grammy-nominated songwriters Barry Dean and Lori McKenna attended the event as did alumnus Pete Fisher, general manager of the Grand Ole Opry; fellow members of Nashville’s music community; and MTSU leadership including Ken Paulson, dean of the College of Media and Entertainment, MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and Laird’s former professor Beverly Keel, chairwoman of the Recording Industry department.

“In 20 or 30 years from now, our students in the history of country music class will study how Luke shaped country music in this decade and will be inspired by his talent and determination,” Keel said.

See Laird, who is nominated for Best Country Song for “Diamond Ring and Old Barstools” and Best Country Album as producer on Kacey Musgraves’ “Pageant Material,” on the 58th Grammy Awards, which airs live at 7 p.m. Monday on CBS.